THE POWER OF SMALL - PART 2

SHORT NOTES FROM:

THE POWER OF SMALL

WHY LITTLE THINGS MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

LINDA KAPLAN THALER AND ROBIN KOVAL

Broadway Books, New York

140 Pages

GOING THE EXTRA INCH

Going the extra inch is that little thing you do that is special and shows what makes you different.  It's often the small act that shows you care, that proves the project or other person matters to you.

Getting noticed in a meaningful way is less about the grand gestures and more about the small, thoughtful things we do everyday.  Random acts of kindness can sometimes pay off in surprising ways.  Going the extra inch can be an enormously powerful catalyst for positive change.

TAKE BABY STEPS

While problem solving is often viewed as an intricate, consolidated process, often, the right solution is the simplest one.  The solution is to re-imagine the task from the onset; mentally dismantle the challenge into smaller, less formidable pieces.

The fear of change is rooted in the brain's physiology, and when fear takes hold, it can prevent creativity, change, and success.  Taking small steps engages the cortex, and prompts the brain to start laying down new nerve pathways to the desired change, building a neurological detour around the flight-or-fight roadblocks.

Victory is just as sweeter when you savour it bite by bite.  Small steps can make a huge difference.  

MATCH YOUR CUE AND CLUES

We are surrounded by interesting and important cues and clues that might help us to solve our everyday problems and looming challenges.  It takes a keen eye.  We have to train ourselves to be constantly on the lookout and to react with lightning speed.

Slow down; tune in to the signals around you.  External clues are important, but so are our internal cues.  We have 5 sensors for a reason.  Trust that filtering system and follow the cues it offers, you'll discover that you often know more than you know.

The unspoken cues people give in person can never be replicated.  Crack the codes; look for clues.  Study the frame and you can observe a lot just by watching.

LITTLE MISTAKES SPELL DISASTER

Never underestimate the power small. We are all human and we all make mistakes.  Perfection may be impossible, but mistakes are avoidable.  Sometimes forgetting to take care of the smallest details can have the biggest repercussions.

The first line of defence against embarrassing mistakes is to build a strong support team, with accountability as the guiding principles.  Sometimes we become so consumed with avoiding the big mistakes, we forget to read the fine print.

Asking questions, no matter how seemingly dumb or trivial, is the smart way to address and solve problems when they are still small and manageable.  Learning to let go of our pride and to ask for help, for another set of eyes or ears, is critical in avoiding the little disasters that can undo our best intentions.  Falling down is a part of life.

MAKE IT BIG BY THINKING SMALL

We are often told to think big, to see the larger picture, to not lose sight of the forest for the trees.

SMALL CHANGES THE WORLD

There is no limits to how great a difference we can make in the world.  Each and everyone of us has the power to leave this world a better place than we found it.

No one is too small because there is a hero in each of us.  Focussing on the tiniest details of the work we love, finding magic in even the smallest inspirations, embracing the briefest moments.

SO TAKE THE FIRST STEP AND THEN KEEP ON WALKING

the end.......